Gothic Fonts: Blackletter and Old English Styles
Gothic fonts, also called blackletter or Old English, grew out of medieval European handwriting with its dense, angular strokes. Today they appear on tattoos, band logos, newspaper mastheads, beer labels and streetwear.
20 free fonts, previewed with your text
- UnifrakturMaguntia
Kingdom of Shadows
- Pirata One
Kingdom of Shadows
- Grenze Gotisch
Kingdom of Shadows
- Texturina
Kingdom of Shadows
- UnifrakturCook
Kingdom of Shadows
- Manufacturing Consent
Kingdom of Shadows
- New Rocker
Kingdom of Shadows
- Metal Mania
Kingdom of Shadows
- Fruktur
Kingdom of Shadows
- Jacquard 12
Kingdom of Shadows
- Almendra Display
Kingdom of Shadows
- MedievalSharp
Kingdom of Shadows
- Uncial Antiqua
Kingdom of Shadows
- Jacquarda Bastarda 9
Kingdom of Shadows
- Jacquard 24
Kingdom of Shadows
- Blaka
Kingdom of Shadows
- Metamorphous
Kingdom of Shadows
- Almendra
Kingdom of Shadows
- Fondamento
Kingdom of Shadows
- Grenze
Kingdom of Shadows
How to use it
- 1Blackletter is hard to read in long text. Use it for one to three words and pair it with a simple serif or sans serif.
- 2Avoid setting blackletter in all capitals: the ornate capitals are designed to start words, not to fill them.
- 3For better legibility, try softer takes such as Grenze Gotisch, Texturina or Pirata One.
- 4Check Turkish letters before you commit: UnifrakturMaguntia and UnifrakturCook don't include ğ, ş or ı.
This collection includes classic Fraktur and textura, softer modern takes that are easier to read, and a few pixel and metal variations. Type your text to see how each font handles it.
Related guides
- How to install fonts on Windows and Mac (and use them in Word)A one-minute install on Windows or Mac — plus why your font might not show up in Word online or Google Docs, and how to share files that keep it.
- How to add fonts to Cricut Design Space (Windows, Mac, iPhone and iPad)Design Space doesn't have an upload button for fonts — it uses the fonts installed on your device. Here's how to install them on every platform.
- How to upload a custom font to Canva (including your own handwriting)Canva lets you upload your own fonts on its paid, education and nonprofit plans. Here's exactly how — and which file to use.
- How to add fonts to Procreate on iPad (and use your own handwriting)Procreate can import TTF, OTF and TTC fonts straight from the Files app. Here's how, plus a trick for using your own handwriting as a font.